Manaus, Brazil Day 1

Tuesday March 6, 2012.  Today we are docked here in Manaus.  We got up early and found the pool already open at 5:30am so we joined Bonnie and David for our hour.  We were sailing into Manaus and the waters were quiet.  We had a light breakfast and got ready for our tour.  Today we are doing "Highlights of Manaus".

We gathered to get our bus number and Bob headed out to take pictures of the dock area.  Our first stop was at Teatro Amazonas.  This is the famous Opera House.  It was built during the rubber boom in the 19th century.  The theater symbolizes the opulence of Manaus at the height of the rubber boom.  All the materials were imported from Europe.   It was restored in 1990.

Opera House

Inside Opera House

There is a section of the Opera House that has wonderful wood floors made out of 7 types of wood found in the rain forest here in Brazil.  When you enter this room, you must cover your feet.  Cute.

My feet

As soon as we got back on the bus, the heavens opened up and it poured.  We are in the largest rain forest in the world.  Our next stop was to the Museu do Indio.  Here is a collection of artifacts including artwork, ritual masks, musical instruments and fishing tools of the Indians who originally inhabited the Rio Negro area.

Back on the bus and we drove through the city to the zoo.  The zoo is run by the military.  It had stopped raining so we went into the zoo.  When we were as far away from the entrance, the heavens opened up once more.  Everyone on the bus got soaked but me.  I had my poncho with me.  So I kept the camera dry and went back to the bus.  My feet were soaked but the rest of me was dry.  Cannot say the same for Bob.  He is the one who always carries the poncho and this time, he forgot.

Me being silly.


We returned to the ship and now the rain has stopped.  Manaus is in the rain forest so what did we expect.  Lunch at the pool grill and then it was time for needlepoint, tea, and trivia.  We did fairly well but we need to stop changing our answers.  We would have won if we did not change two of them.  

We dressed for dinner.  There was a pre dinner show of four local musicians who play music of the Amazon.  They use unusual instruments and it was quite good.  Then dinner in Compass Rose which was just okay.  I had a Brazil fish that was not to my liking.  It was just okay.  After dinner back to the cabin where I watched some more of "The Artist".  Still do not understand why it won the best picture award.  Will finish watching it and maybe will change my mind.